A major international conference is arranged and conducted by WHO and ADAMHA. The intent of the conference is to review important issues concerning the diagnosis and classification of mental disorders, and alcohol and drug-related programs; provide a forum for exchange of ideas about action leading to a common language in the mental health field and facilitating its further development; and serve as a meeting of collaborating investigators participating in research projects in field studies on key issues. Following the conference and the analysis of its output and recommendations of the steering committee, an opertional plan is developed for translation of the recommendations into specific research protocols and action proposals. Protocol development groups deal with proposals concerning collaborative studies on various nosological aspects of major groups of psychiatric disorders; development of methodological tools and procedures; development of statistical and biometric tools for an objective evaluation of aspects of reliability and validity of classification categories; and design of training programs and other measures for the promotion and dissemination of a common language in the mental health field.